Alabama erupted from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes and never let up, defeating Mississippi State 100-75 behind a season-best shooting display inside Coleman Coliseum.
The Crimson Tide knocked down 16 three-pointers in the first half alone, building a commanding 63-33 lead at the break. Alabama opened the game with back-to-back triples and used multiple scoring runs – including a 19-4 surge and a 12-0 burst – to overwhelm the Bulldogs early.
Amari Allen led the charge with 16 points in the first half and finished with 23, with six 3-pointers. Allen was consistently stretching Mississippi State’s defense from deep.
“Amari’s may have had the best shooting night of the season.” Alabama’s head coach, Nate Oats, said.
Alabama shot 60% in the first half while holding the Bulldogs to 32%, forcing tough shots late in the shot clock and capitalizing in transition.
The Tide picked up where it left off after halftime. Three-pointers from Wrightsell, Allen and Sherrell sparked a 14-3 run in the opening four minutes of the second half, pushing the lead past 30. By the fifth media timeout, Alabama had connected 20 3-pointers and led 75-40.
Aden Holloway orchestrated the offense throughout the night, finishing with 10 assists and seven rebounds while keeping the ball moving during Alabama’s long-range explosion.
Mississippi State showed signs of life midway through the second half. A 9-0 run, followed by a 14-2 stretch, trimmed the deficit slightly as Alabama went through a 4:40 scoring drought. Later, the Bulldogs used a 12-2 run to cut the margin to 86-65 with just over four minutes remaining.
But every push was answered. Bethea, Mallette and Wrightsell each connected from deep late, Alabama was able to maintain control down the stretch to secure the 100-75 victory.
The tide finished the night shooting 53% from the field and an impressive final total of 22 made from 3-point range at one point in the second half. Mississippi State shot 34% overall and 10-of-28 from beyond the arc.
With 22 made threes, Alabama inched within striking distance of its NCAA tournament record of 25, set against the BYU Cougars men’s basketball in 2025 at the Sweet 16. While the record stayed intact, Alabama’s shooting performance was more than enough to secure the win.
